Day: December 14, 2012

Check for change to your festive bin collections

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Edinburgh residents are being asked to check changes to their refuse and recycling collection days over the festive season. Collections will be earlier than usual in order to take account of the Christmas and New Year holidays.

Collection dates for green household bins and food waste will change from:

  • Tuesday 25 December – Saturday 22 December;
  • Wednesday 26 December – Sunday 23 December;
  • Tuesday 1 January – Saturday 29 December;
  • Wednesday 2 January – Sunday 30 December;
  • Thursday 3 January – Saturday 5 January.

Red and blue box collections will be as normal apart from those due to be picked up on Christmas Day, which will change to Saturday 22, and New Year’s Day, which will change to Saturday 29. If boxes are not picked up on these dates, please leave them out until they are collected. Please note that services may be subject to change in the event of severe weather.

Christmas trees will be picked up by refuse collectors if they are left on the kerbside on brown bin collection days from January 7. They should have all decorations removed and cut into five foot lengths. Trees can also be recycled at any of the city’s three community recycling centres. Garden waste bins will not be collected from December 22 until January 6.

Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Hinds said: “It is important that residents make sure that they find out when refuse and recycling will be picked up during the festive season. “A lot of the rubbish we produce at this time of year is recyclable, like cardboard and wrapping paper, so take advantage of our recycling facilities and try to stick to the reduce, re-use and recycle message. “We have made special arrangements to make sure that no-one misses a collection at this time but we can’t control the weather so please check our website over Christmas for any possible changes if the weather is bad.”

For more information about rubbish and recycling, please visit the Council website.

Stay safe advice for festive revellers

Revellers visiting Edinburgh city centre this weekend are being urged to make plans to ensure they get home safely at the end of their evening. With the Christmas party season now well underway, police expect there to be a high number of people visiting the city centre for a night out with work colleagues and friends.

As part of Operation Astrodome (the Lothian and Borders Police response to the festive season in Edinburgh) officers will be carrying out additional high-visibility patrols in order to provide reassurance to the public, and deal with any criminal behaviour.

Inspector Gill Geany, from Lothian and Borders Police, said: “Edinburgh city centre is a great place to visit for a night out, and we are keen that people enjoy themselves over the festive season. We would urge revellers to drink sensibly, and to consider what steps they can take to ensure they get home safely at the end of the night.

“It is advisable for people to ensure their mobile phone is fully charged before they go out, and if for any reason you lose your mobile, then you should keep a list of emergency numbers and some spare change if you need to make a call. I would also urge people to remain in the company of their friends, and if possible, to make arrangements to travel home together at the end of the night.

“Late night buses are available and there are a number of taxi ranks in operation throughout the city, staffed by taxi marshals from City of Edinburgh Council. Lothian and Borders Police and the Council have worked together to produce totem posters that have been erected in the city centre, showing the locations of late night bus stops and taxi ranks.

“I would urge people to make use of these transport options, and to plan ahead to ensure they get home safely. Our personal safety pocket guide – Good Nights Out, Get Home Safely– is available to download on the Lothian and Borders Police website, and I would recommend that people take advantage of the advice available.”

Police

NHS inform launches bereavement zone

images[1]Christmas is, for many people, a time of family get-togethers and when friends can come together to exchange gifts and enjoy one another’s  company.

But for some the Festive season is a reminder of the absence of those who have died and is a time when grief can be particularly difficult whether the death is recent or not. For people who have been bereaved there is a myriad of legal and practical issues that need to be dealt with, in addition to the emotional impact of death which can sometimes be felt for many years to come.

NHS inform now offers help and support to people experiencing these difficulties with a new ‘Bereavement Zone’ which can be found at www.nhsinform.co.uk/bereavement.

The zone gives both practical advice and help with finding further sources of support to enable people to cope with the emotional aspects of grief. Developed in partnership with the Scottish Grief and Bereavement Hub it hosts links to a variety of resources  The Convener of the Scottish Grief and Bereavement Hub John Birrell says: “The new Bereavement Zone is a useful online resource for people dealing with the aftermath of a loved ones death.  We know that grief is very personal and people respond to it in very different ways but the Zone offers general advice and lots of signposting for further help.”

Lynne Huckerby, Head of Health Information Services at NHS 24 says the Zone will complement other services offered to people who may be experiencing emotional difficulties: “The Zone is designed to be a starting point to enable people to find the help they need for their own particular circumstances. It includes information about death and bereavement specific to certain groups such as younger people, or bereavement following a long term condition such as Dementia. In addition to the Zone, NHS 24 also offers the Breathing Space service where people can receive confidential support and advice over the telephone and the advisors are trained to help people in emotionally challenging times such as bereavement.”